Brush for cleaning artificial dentures



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,947

w M. J. -BARCHFELD BRUSH FOR CLEANING ARTIFICIAL DENTURES Filed April 25, 1928 Patented Sept. 11, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

BRUSH FOR CLEANING ARTIFICIAL DENTUR-ES.

Application filed April 25, 1928. Serial No. 272,800.

The invention relates to improvementsin brushes for cleaning artificial dentures.

The objectof the present invention is to improve the construction of brushes for cleaning artificial dentures, more especially that shown and described in Patent No.

1,674,154, granted to me June 19, 1928. The

brush of my co-pending application, which has parallel brush members composed of straight portions and angularly disposed terminal arms, is held at an angle to the plate of the artificial denture to arrange the handle of the brush out of the way so that there will be no liability ofthe handle accidentally coming into contact with the artificial denture. In thepresent invention, the brush members have straight intermediate portions and inner and outer terminal arms arranged I at right angles to the straight intermediate portions, the inner terminal arms offsetting the handle of the brush from the plane ofthe straight intermediate portions of the brush members to enable the brush to clean the teeth and the flanges of an artificial denture both interiorly and exteriorly simultaneously while the brush is in one brush position without liability of the handle of the brush com ing into contact with the artificial denture, and at the same time afford a maximum brushing effect with the major portion of the brush members in contact with the artificial denture. V

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush of this character adapted to straddle either the teeth or the flanges of an artificial denture for brushing and cleaning the same interiorly and exteriorly and capable of such operation while the straight intermediate portions of the brush are in contact with and parallel with the plate of the artificial denture, instead of at an angle to the same, as'is necessary with the brush of my co-pending application, thereby affording a more effective brushing action with the bristles of the entire intermediate portion in contact with the artificial denture and while the brush is in one brush position.

lVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claim hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. V

In the drawing: 7 I

Figure 1 is a plan View of a brush constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on theline 33 of Fig. 2'.

The brush, which is designed for cleaning removable artificial dentures of all kinds, comprises in its construction a handle 1 and a pair of parallel simultaneously acting brush members 2 extending from the handle and suitably secured at their inner ends to the same. These brush members, which consist of groups of bristles and bristle holders, are

bent at right angles at their inner and outer portions to provide straight intermediate longitudinal portions 3 and inner and outer arms 4 and 5, the outer arms being of greater length than the inner arms and the said inner arms offsetting the handle from the plane of the straight intermediate longitudinal portions 3 of the brush members to enable the intermediate portions of the brush members to be held fiat or straight against the plate of an artificial denturewhile the brush members straddle the teeth or the flanges of the artificial denture, thereby enabling the entire length of the intermediate portions to be brought into action and utilized during the brushing operation for simultaneously cleaning the teeth or the flanges interiorly and eXteriorly thereof while the brush is in one brush position. The inner and outer arms also cooperate with the straight intermediate longitudinal portions 3 in the action of the brush in cleaning an artificial denture, and the inner arms, by offsetting the handle 1 from the plane of the intermediate longitudinal portions and elevating the handle above the said portions 3, prevent any liability of the handle coming in cont-act with the artificial denture. This will materially reduce the labor incident to cleaning an artificial denture and will enable the denture to be more rapidly cleaned while the brush is held in a convenient position with the hand holding the brush entirely out of contact with the artificial denture.

The brush members are connected at their outer ends, the outer arms being formed integral with eachother, and in the present instance the bristle holders are shown as formed from a single length of twisted wire which has been bent intermediate its ends as indi- 'cated at 6 to produce the parallel brush members 2, the free ends of the WlIQ- being en.- gaged in. the handle. Any other suitable means for producing the bristle holders may, however, be employed. The bristles 7 which are disposed in groups in parallel relation, are attached by placing them between thelengths of the Wire before twisting, so that they are spirally arranged. The bristles 7 extend from the bristle holders in all directions, and the bristle holders are spaced apart a suflicient distance to permit introduction therebetween of the teeth or flanges of the artificial denture without injur to the said teeth and flanges. The parallel brush members formed by the bristles and the bristle'holders have their bristles normally arranged in contact at the inner sides of the said members. This arrangement permits the brush members to straddle the teeth or the flanges of an artificial denture for simultaneously cleaning either the teeth or the flanges both interiorly and exteriorly with the brush in one brush position.

The connecting bend of the outer arms is curved and of a length less than the width of the space between the teeth and opposite sides of an artificial denture to adapt the outer curved portion of the brush for tree movement over the plate of the artificial denture for cleaning the same. This curved terminal portion adapts the brush for cleaning both faces of the plate and to reach the surfaces adjacent the flanges even when the latter are curved in cross section.

Applicant accomplishes both interior and exterior cleaning operations in one brush position and in one continuous operation, without the handle of the brush or the hand of the person holding the brush coming'in con tact with the artificial denture and while the straight intermediate longitudinal portions of the brush members are in contact or engagement with the artificial denture throughout the entire length.

Nhat is claimed is:

A brush for cleaning artificial dentures comprising a handle, a pair of parallel brush members consisting of bristle holders, each secured at one end tothe handle and at the opposite end to the other of the bristle holders, and bristles extending radially in all directions from the bristle holders, said bristle holders being each bent at right angles at points intermediate of their ends to form straight intermediate longitudinal portions and inner and outer arms, the inner arms olfsetting the handle from the straight intermediate longitudinal portions, the bristles at the inner sides of the intermediatelongitudinal portions and the inner and outer arms being normally in contact, the portion or the brush members connecting the outer terminal arms being of a length less than the width of the space between the teeth at opposite sides of a plate to permit the end of the brush to move freely between the teeth and the flanges of the plate for cleaning the latter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DR. MARTIN J. BARCHFELD. 

